Since January #truecrime readers have grown quite familiar with my first #truecrime book published via #WildBluePress. Meanwhile, business at the Iowa parole board continues.
DIXIE’S LAST STAND will be available in audiobook in early February 2015
DIXIE’S LAST STAND chronicles the plight of #prisoner Dixie Shanahan. It’s a book about #domesticviolence, fateful choices and rigid sentencing guidelines. So far, #DIXIE has proven to be a conversation starter. dev.wildbluepress.com/Dixie
Here’s a random sampling of recent comments posted on #Amazon by readers of DIXIE’S LAST STAND: Was it Murder or Self-Defense?
(If you’ve read DIXIE, please take the time to post your own book review.)
“I firmly believe that Dixie was terrorized and acted out of fear but could she have responded differently? Surely she could have but still I feel that justice in her case was unusually harsh” — Amazon customer Deb.
“This is a riveting take (of) a battered woman that took justice into her own hands. While I felt for her, the resources were clearly there for her.” — Kimberly Trivette
Photos courtesy of Des Moines Register
“Dixie underwent many horrible beatings, mentally and physically, but murdering Scott wasn’t necessary. She had so many chances to escape, but didn’t. This book shows how cruel people are and when backed into a corner a dog will bite. What I fail to understand is how Dixie killed Scott and let him rot in bed and still live in the home. I can only imagine the stench, and bugs. It only took me a few hours to read this, and enjoyed it.” — Alissa Reichrath
“All I can say is that Dixie is obviously not a very bright woman. She should have immediately called the police after she killed that pig. Scott Shanahan got exactly what he had coming to him. If she would have waited until he was actually abusing to defend herself she would not have had a chance and she herself would have probably been killed. She didn’t do this for the money and it wasn’t a cold-blooded murder, this was a desperate act to save herself and her children from any further abuse from an evil, vile animal. She was absolutely justified and anyone who thinks otherwise has never been a victim of abuse or dealt with anyone who has been. These abuser beat their victims down so badly that the victim feels they have no way out.” — Wendy L. Stamatovich
Probably by summer, the five-member #Iowa Board of Parole will once again review the annual parole petition from Dixie.
Do you believe Dixie Shanahan should remain in prison and denied parole? Or do you feel Dixie’s served enough time in the joint and the board appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad should let her go home to Defiance, Iowa?
I’ve included bio information from the Iowa state government website on the current five-member parole board plus information on how you can reach the chairman via email or by phone:
Board Chairman John F. Hodges of Bondurant, Iowa. J.D., Chair.
Appointed to the Board of Parole in 2014. Born in Hudson, New York. Graduated from Hudson High School, Hudson, New York (1998). Attended Central College, Pella, Iowa, earned a B.A., with a double major in Political Science and Sociology (2002). John earned his J.D. with honors and certification in Litigation and Dispute Resolution from Drake University Law School (2004). In 2013, John opened his own law practice. In February 2014, John was presented with the opportunity to return to public service as the Vice Chair of the Iowa Board of Parole. He was subsequently appointed to Chair in May 2014. His term runs until April 30, 2018
Contact information:
John.Hodges@iowa.gov 515-725-5757
Norm Granger, Vice Chair. Appointed to the Board of Parole in 2014. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Graduated from Barringer High School in 1980. While at the University of Iowa Norm started as the number one fullback his sophomore, junior, and senior year. During those three years his team participated in the 1982 Rose Bowl, 1982 Peach Bowl, and the 1983 Gator Bowl. In 1984 Norm was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys Football Club in the 5th round. Norm went on to play with the Cowboys from 1984-1986. Then he played for the Atlanta Falcons in 1987 and retired from football following that season in 1988. Over a twelve-year period Norm’s vocation was dedicated to youth and education in the Public Relations Department of Allen Hospital in Waterloo. He has been a NCAA Football official for the past twenty years. He has also been an official of the Iowa High School Athletic Association for the past twenty four years.
Charles W. Larson, Sr., Board Member. Appointed to the Board of Parole in 2013. Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001 to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. He served in this capacity until December 2006. From July 2004 through May 2005, Charles served in Iraq as the Justice Department’s Senior Advisor to Ambassador John Negroponte. From 1986–1993 he served as United States Attorney under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. President William J. Clinton named him a member of the Drug-Free Communities Commission in 1995. He served as Iowa’s Commissioner of Public Safety from 1974–1980. He is a graduate of the Army War College and a retired Army Reserve Colonel.
Sue Lerdal, Board Member. Appointed to the Iowa Board of Parole in 2014. Sue graduated from Iowa State University where she majored in Political Science and from what is now Des Moines University where she studied Health Care Administration. She retired from the Legislative Services Agency in 2011 after serving over 30 years, where she provided statutory and appropriations committee nonpartisan staffing in a variety of subject areas to the Iowa General Assembly. Without any background in corrections, Sue fulfills the Code Section 904A.2(1) requirement of a disinterested layperson Board of Parole member. Sue operates her own small business, In Lieu Of, which assists those in central Iowa who may not have family or friends to rely on to help with medical appointment comprehension, completion of insurance and financial assistance forms, and almost anything legal, to help individuals who would otherwise fall between the cracks in this challenging world, with an emphasis in serving those with special needs.
Sheila A. Wilson, Board Member. Appointed to the Board of Parole in 2013. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s of Arts Degree in Counseling from Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois. She retired from Unites States Probation, Southern District of Iowa, in April 2013. During her 21 years with U.S. Probation, Ms. Wilson worked as a United State Probation Officer and Senior U.S. Probation Officer, before retiring as Supervising U.S. Probation Officer. Ms. Wilson was also employed by the Illinois Department of Corrections for 10 years. She started her career in Criminal Justice at the Dwight Correctional Center; Dwight, Illinois in 1976 as a Correctional Counselor.
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Dixie should be denied clemency and should have to serve her entire 50-year sentence for killing her first husband; Dixie had absolutely no right to commit murder despite the fact that Scott was abusive towards her; if this was, in fact, the case, Dixie should have filed for divorce and moved to Texas to be with her family, which was *the* sensible alternative, primarily after the incident in October of 2000 when Scott threw Dixie in the basement, tying her hands and feet up in the process and leaving her there for three days. Instead, as everyone knows by now, in August of 2002, Dixie shot and killed Scott in the head as he was sleeping after storming off to the bedroom, with Dixie making up a story during her trial about Scott supposedly brutally punching her when she didn’t wake him up to say goodbye to their oldest son before he left for school.. If any crime warrants a life sentence with no chance of parole, this should have been one of those cases.